Fox Valley Park District: No need to pony up for Blackberry Farm barn

Valerie Bell, who lives near the Blackberry Farm ponies, expressed concern to the Fox Valley Park District that the lean-to in their corral does not provide adequate protection from hash weather.

Valerie Bell, who lives near the Blackberry Farm ponies, expressed concern to the Fox Valley Park District that the lean-to in their corral does not provide adequate protection from hash weather. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News)

Valerie Bell admits she's a "critter person." The Aurora woman spends about $100 a month on seed alone that goes into the many bird feeders scattered about her beautiful backyard on Barnes Road.

And while she also buys food for the squirrels, she stops short of calling herself one of those "animal advocates."

Still, Bell was concerned enough about a group of ponies that live near her, she's contacted the owners, Fox Valley Park District, to inquire about their well-being.

There are seven animals in all that share a corral and lean-to near the FVPD maintenance barn – six ponies and a donkey that provide children circle-rides at Blackberry Farm just up the road from her home and where the animals are kept.

Two of the ponies were in the corral when we stopped on Thursday afternoon so Bell could show me why she's raised these concerns. It's not so bad in this kind of weather, she said, although certainly 90-degree summer days can get intense. But she's mostly worried about the animals making it through some of our tough winters with only a lean-to for protection.

"We also have packs of coyotes out there constantly," she added. "And these animals have absolutely no protection."

Of course, Bell is saying all this to someone raised on a farm, where, despite the big red barn that was the focal point of my childhood, much of our livestock, including the horses and cattle, survived out in the open — in corrals and pastures — which I still believe is pretty much what you will find the further west you travel.

Back in those good old days, I loved my horses and German Shepherd, Tip, a whole lot more than my dolls. But long ago I stopped comparing my suburban life today to growing up barefoot in rural Kansas, where most animals either worked for a living or would eventually become our dinner.

Times are much different, and I had no idea if the conditions these ponies lived in was good, bad or somewhere in between. So I took Bell's issues to the park district, where several officials assured me that, while her concerns were appreciated, they were not necessarily legitimate.

Yes, there has been talk of re-doing the barn at Blackberry Farm in order to house all the animals, said Operations Director John Kramer. Right now there are chickens, a couple of turkeys and pigs using the barn, and there's really no room for the ponies or donkey.

"But it is a discussion," he said.

Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News

Valerie Bell, who lives on Barnes Road in Aurora, likes to visit the Blackberry Farm ponies that live in a corral close to her property, and worries that the lean-to in the corral does not provide adequate protection from severe weather for the animals.

Valerie Bell, who lives on Barnes Road in Aurora, likes to visit the Blackberry Farm ponies that live in a corral close to her property, and worries that the lean-to in the corral does not provide adequate protection from severe weather for the animals. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News)

In the meantime, the ponies' current living quarters that features a good-size lean-to – or stable – gives them protection and makes it easier to clean than individual paddocks would be, he said.

And, while people, especially those living in suburbia, may be under the notion that hoofed creatures need to be housed in barns, Kramer says the current FVPD set-up is "over adequate." And he makes that assessment as someone who, before joining the park district in early 2016, was vice president of plant and facilities management at Brookfield Zoo where, among other things, he oversaw the revamping of the petting zoo.

"While I'm no expert in animal husbandry," Kramer said, "I have built a fair amount of these" animal structures." And this set-up off Barnes Road, he added, is similar to what the reindeer, llama and alpaca have at Brookfield.

And, he added, while Blackberry Farm isn't big enough to house a veterinarian on site, he promised that, as far as everyday care goes, the park district staff "is very vigilant in taking care of" all the animals, including the ponies and donkey.

According to the figures from Blackberry Farm's financial office, in the past 20 months, the total amount spent for veterinarian, supplies and feed was $43,362.07; with the vet bill for the ponies alone coming in at $15,639.52.

Bell, a grandmother and retiree of the Federal Aviation Administration, seemed relieved with the response that came from the park district; and appreciated their efforts in addressing her questions. Whether or not FVPD — or its taxpayers — will ever pony up for a bigger barn remains to be seen. And she's still going to be concerned when that sub-zero weather hits.

In the meantime, Bell will continue to keep an eye on those adorable four-legged creatures as she takes her strolls around the neighborhood. And if ever the park district is looking for volunteers to help with their care, she says, "I'm ready to sign up."